Sebastian Brendel is in top form and is therefore returning to his special discipline. The canoeist wants to know again, even if he is still “uncertain” after the semifinals at the Olympics in Tokyo.
Germany’s flagship canoeist Sebastian Brendel experienced his first moment of happiness before the World Championships in Duisburg. The three-time Olympic champion from Potsdam is now allowed to start in his Olympic flagship discipline over 1000 meters, contrary to what was planned.
“It was very unexpected, I was actually already prepared for other races,” said the 35-year-old canoe specialist, who feels in top form before the start of the competition. “The test results were very good, the best I’ve ever done,” Brendel told the German Press Agency.
Brendel sees himself in the best of shape
Conrad Scheibner is now going to start over the non-Olympic distance over 500 meters and takes Brendel’s place in the four-man canoe. “These are purely sporting reasons. Sebastian is in great shape, the values and training performance spoke for him,” said sports director Jens Kahl. The chief planner of the German Canoe Association did not want to jeopardize the Olympic quota place on this route, which has been dominated by the Germans for decades. Brendel thanked his coaches “for the trust”.
The Potsdamer himself, who missed part two of the internal nomination in spring because of a corona disease, sees himself in excellent shape. “I got away without any consequential damage, it didn’t slow me down for long,” explained the 1.92 meter tall model athlete, who first concentrated on the two-man Canadian because “it’s more fun with a partner”. But he lost the elimination race with Nico Pickert against Peter Kretschmer and his former partner Tim Hecker.
Now he is back in his prime discipline. “I’m still a bit unsure. My last race was in Tokyo, which wasn’t that successful,” he said about the semifinals at the Olympics. Now he decided the World Cup preliminary heat in Duisburg with a final sprint that was reminiscent of the best times. The big goal is the 2024 Olympics. Once again, he sees the attack by the young guard calmly. He could “more than just keep up, even dominate after the last strong training sessions,” he assured.
Scheibner, on the other hand, is disappointed
Bitter for Scheibner, who is eight years his junior, who had already initiated the generation change with the 2021 World Championship titles in Copenhagen over 500 and 1000 meters. The Berliner reacted disappointed to the decision of the coaches. “To be honest, it’s not easy to deal with,” said Scheibner.
A circle could close for Brendel in Duisburg. He won his first of eleven world championship titles in 2013 on the Wedau over the 5000 meter distance. Since then he has won 45 medals at the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships.
In addition to the Potsdamer, the DKV medal hopes rest primarily on the kayak foursome. Max Lemke, Jacob Schopf, Max Rendschmidt and Tom Liebscher-Lucz are getting better and better. The reshuffle of head national coach Arndt Hanisch with power package Lemke to position two “works well,” said the coach. So Schopf and Liebscher-Lucz, sitting behind them, can give the finishers real power over the short 500-meter distance. “We want to be on the podium, stand up to the Spaniards and get a quota place for Paris,” said Liebscher-Lucz from Dresden.
Source: Stern
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